The embodiments herein relate to forming highly conductive proppant packs, and more particularly, to forming highly conductive proppant packs using degradable reticulated foam particulates.
Subterranean wells (e.g., hydrocarbon producing wells, water producing wells, and the like) are often stimulated by hydraulic fracturing treatments. In a typical hydraulic fracturing treatment, a treatment fluid is pumped into a wellbore in a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure above the fracture gradient of the particular subterranean formation to breakdown the formation rock and create or enhance at least one fracture therein. Typically, particulate solids, such as graded sand, are introduced into the subterranean formation in a portion of the treatment fluid or in a subsequent treatment fluid and deposited into the fracture. These particulate solids, generally referred to as “proppant particulates” or “proppant,” serve to prevent the fracture from fully closing once the hydraulic pressure is removed. By keeping the fracture from fully closing, the proppant particulates aid in forming conductive paths through which produced fluids, such as hydrocarbons (i.e., oil and/or gas), may flow.
The degree of success of a fracturing operation depends, at least in part, upon fracture porosity and conductivity once the fracturing operation is complete and production begins. Traditional fracturing operations place a volume of proppant particulates into a fracture to form a “proppant pack” in order to ensure that the fracture does not close completely upon removing the hydraulic pressure. The ability of the proppant particulates to maintain an open fracture depends, at least, upon the ability of the proppant particulates to withstand fracture closure pressures. The porosity of a proppant pack within a fracture is related to the interconnected interstitial spaces between abutting proppant particulates. Thus, the fracture productivity is closely related to the strength of the placed proppant particulates and the interstitial spaces between the proppant particulates in the proppant pack.
Generally, a proppant pack having sufficient strength to prevent a fracture from closing while simultaneously maximizing the interstitial spaces between each proppant particulate will be preferred, as the channels through which hydrocarbons may flow may be maximized. In some fracturing operations, increased flow channels may be achieved by intermittently pumping a substantially solids-free fluid with a proppant slurry, and thereafter removing the substantially solids-free fluid. In such cases, channels are formed between individual proppant packs. The intermittent pumping may require additional pumping equipment, fluid storage equipment, and/or labor at the well site. In other fracturing operations, increased flow channels may be achieved by including degradable materials in the proppant slurry and degrading such materials after the proppant pack is formed. Degradable materials may be cost prohibitive in some situations and/or may not be of the desired size or shape for use in a particular proppant pack without additional manufacturing alterations.